100 Diamonds in The Rough
by whentheresawill
Summary: I present to you...The 100 Theme challenge. 100 little moments of love, and fluff, and angst, and humor. 100 moments with all our lovable RA characters. Enjoy! Rated T for the dark stuff and occasional language.
1. Introduction

**Welcome to the 100 theme challenge!**

 **For this challenge I'm supposed to write an individual story for every theme. And there is one theme per chapter.**

 **I hope to post as much as I can. I might not be able to write all 100 of these stories but i will certainly try.**

 **Disclaimer: I dont own many of these characters, except for Caitlyn Treaty**

* * *

 **001: Introduction**

Horace held his breath in awe as he stared into her wide, beautiful brown eyes. He smiled warmly down at her, then laughed when she let out the most adorable yawn. She smiled at him, and he felt his heart melt. This was getting to be too much for him.

"Horace, I think you're drooling," Horace looked up to face Will. The Ranger was smirking with amusement and Horace grinned back.

"She's just so adorable Will," Horace whispered, looking back at the baby in his arms.

Will smiled. He couldn't help but feel immense warmth at the sight of his best friend holding and loving his two-month old baby. It was the first time Horace had ever seen Caitlyn, and he had fallen in love right away. Will remembered Horace's face had the largest grin when Alyss brought her out of their room. Since then, Horace wouldn't let go of the baby.

"She really is," the Ranger said softly.

It was then that Caitlyn started fussing. She shifted around, and her face started to scrunch up in discomfort. Horace's smile faded from his face. Everything was fine with a baby until she started crying. He didn't know what to do when that happened. He could see it forming. Her face was getting red, and her eyes shut tight. Her mouth opened and she let out a cry. And then another.

Horace held the baby helplessly, his former comfort completely gone. He looked up at Will who was smiling. Horace extended the baby towards him, but the young man gently pushed his arms away. The Ranger wanted to see Horace uneasy for a moment.

"Will! Take your baby!" His voice was full of panic as Caitlyn's cries got louder. Something could be seriously wrong with the newborn child, and Will is was refusing to help his own daughter? Will just laughed.

"Horace, you aren't even doing anything," he knew that his daughter just got fussy at times. He wasn't really doing any harm by letting her cry for a couple moments more. "How can we ask you to babysit her if you can't even calm her when she cries?"

"I don't know what to do!" Horace cried out. He stood up and tried rocking the baby. When that didn't work, he tried cooing to her, then tried bouncing her. It seemed that her cries kept getting louder.

Alyss walked in from her bedroom with a frown on her face. She had heard the baby's cries and wondered why Will had not brought Caitlyn to her. Then she saw Horace pacing around the living room, yelling out words to try to calm her distressed baby, and Will grinning and doing nothing about it. She rolled her eyes and sighed, and went over to take the baby from Horace's arms

"Really, Will?" She scolded while rocking the baby. Will chuckled and shrugged. Alyss shook her head in exasperation, then looked back at her daughter with a smile. She whispered soft words and rocked her a little more, and to Horace's surprise, Caitlyn stopped crying right away.

"Is she all right then?" He asked cautiously. Alyss smiled at Horace. She liked how concerned he was for the baby.

"She's fine Horace. Just needs to be fed and put to sleep. You can play with her afterwards," She patted his hand, then turned to walk into the bedroom.

Horace smiled at the thought.

"You would make a very nice uncle," Will said to him.

Horace glanced at his friend and went to go sit with him on the couch. "Uncle? Would I be an uncle?"

Will nodded sagely. "Well, of course. You are like my brother after all." Horace nodded thoughtfully, then smiled brightly.

"Uncle sounds nice."


	2. Love

**New chapter!**

 **This one is pure romance...so beware. It's my version of what happened after Book 6. There are several fics on this already, but I put my own spin to it. Mine is slightly more romantic than the others ive seen on this site...which I'm not sure is a good or bad thing.**

 **Enjoy the Wilyss goodness :)**

 **( _December 2017_ _A/N: If anyone has noticed...I changed the chapter. This used to be chapter 8, Happiness. But as I was reading this chapter back I realized how much it suuuuuuuuuucked, and this seemed to fit in more. Lol im not sure anyone cares but there ya go)_**

* * *

 **002: Love**

It was after sundown, and after a long day at work Alyss sat by the fire in her cozy apartments, a cup of tea in her hands. It was usually how she spent her evenings. With nobody to talk to, and no more thing to be done for the day. She usually didn't mind being alone, she enjoyed peace and quiet. But as of lately, she didn't like it as much. She smoothed a stray strand of hair away from her face, resting her hand on her forehead. She took a sip of her tea, hoping the uncomfortable feeling in her stomach would be washed down with the hot liquid. She couldn't stop thinking about him.

 _Was it strange_ , She asked herself, _that in all the quiet moments in her day the very first thought that comes to her mind was_ him _?_ It wasn't the thinking of him that was strange. She thought of him periodically before their time in Macindaw, about what he might be up to, or if she wanted to send him a letter. He was her friend, and she valued keeping touch - there were not many people in her life. But this, the constant remembrance...it was different this time.

She had sent her letter just a week before. She had been bold, declared her love to him, and then endured days of no reply. What if he never responded? What if the answer he gave was not what she wanted to hear. Her stomach flipped with anxiety at the thought, and she moved her hand to press it. She knew that if he didn't feel the same way, her heart would be broken. And she would hate herself, for wasting twenty some years never telling the love of her life how she felt about him.

She took a sip of her tea, scrunching her nose in distaste when she realized how cold it had become. She stood up with a sigh, heading for the kitchenette to warm up her cup. She was just about to pour the liquid into the pot when she head a knock on her door.

Frowning, having no idea who it could be, she placed the cup on the counter and hastened to the open the door. When she opened the door and caught sight of person on the other side she felt her go throat dry.

"Will…" She breathed. "What are you doing here?"

He was dressed in a dark blue tunic, no cloak. His face was slightly damp. Not from sweat, and it hadn't rained in days. He must have just washed his face, she thought vaguely. His hair was mussed, and a piece of his hair, exquisitely curled, fell in front of his eyes. _His eyes,_ she swallowed _._ The usually coffee-colored eyes were dark as midnight, twinkling as they gazed back at her like scintillating stars on a bright night.

"I-I'm sorry," He said, pulling Alyss out of her reverie. "It's late...I came unannounced, I shouldn't have-" She stopped his stammering by pulling him inside her home.

Will suddenly felt acutely nervous. On his three-day journey from Seacliff to Redmont, only one thing was on his mind: Alyss. He had spent the entire ride planning what he would say when he saw her. He came to profess his love to her, and he had to be as sincere and genuine as he could.

When he had arrived to Redmont, he was dirty and exhausted. It was not a state he wanted to be in when he finally saw Alyss. So on impulse, he had stopped briefly by Halt's apartments - much to his surprise - to freshen up. He exchanged quick words with his former mentor, washed his face quickly, threw on fresh clothes and dashed out. When he stood in front of her door, he finally stopped. He cleared his mind from the frenzy of the past few days, and took a deep breath and knocked.

But when she opened the door, every thought in his mind blew away.

She was dressed in a oversized green shirt, and wore leggings underneath. Her hair was plaited in one long, untidy, braid what was brought forward across her shoulder. He had not seen that hairstyle on her since they were children in the ward, and he realized then how much he loved it. She was surprised to see him, and her eyes looked to him, a piercing grey hue he could easily get lost in.

"No no, come inside," she was saying to him. She brought him into her sitting area, and the both stood, rather awkwardly, until Alyss made a move towards her kitchen.

"Should I get you something to eat? You must be famished." Then she paused. "Did you come here straight from Seacliffe?" Will nodded, taking her arm gently, and pulling her away from the kitchen.

"Yes. But I'm not hungry Alyss. Don't trouble yourself" He smiled at her. "I'm not here for you to cook for me."

Alyss turned to him fully, finally asking the biggest question. "What _are_ you here for?" She thought she knew, and her wame knotted up at the thought of what it might be. His next words confirmed it.

"I got your letter," Will said softly, finally mustering up the courage. Alyss looked quickly at him. His eyes were warm, and he spoke with a small smile on his face.

"You did?" She spoke quietly, suddenly very timid. Regardless of what he thought, She knew, he had come all this way just for that reason. Would he travel that urgently, on such a long journey, just to tell her something she didn't want to hear?

Will stepped forward and took her hands. "I did." He glanced at her eyes, and saw the uncertainty in them. He wanted to tell her, right then, how deeply he felt for her.

Before she could say anything else, he moved to sit on her two-person settle, bringing her with him. He retained hold of her hands, and looked once more into her expectant eyes. Pushing down any form of uncertainty, he spoke.

"That night at in the tower," Will started, and she already knew what night he was talking about. "I was terrified. Terrified of what Keren might have done to you, or what he would do" He swallowed. "I kept telling to myself that I would do _anything_ he asked if it would get you out of danger. I wouldn't leave you in his clutches. Not again."

"But he was so smart." The Ranger's voice was strained, as if the memory pained him. Alyss squeezed his hand gently, not trusting herself to speak. "He used you as a shield to protect himself. Because I could never hurt you. And he _knew_ that." Will smiled grimly. "He knew that even if you tried to kill me, I wouldn't be able to stop you."

He came closer then, taking hold of her arms gently, and looking into her eyes with compassion. Alyss looked back at him, regarding him with ardor. She stopped her gaze from flitting down to his lips. Until he spoke again, and her desire for him became overmuch.

"But if you did kill me, that would be alright." He whispered. "I just needed you to know that, in that moment...I forgave you. For what you were about to do, and for anything else. Because _I love you._ And when you wake up from trance, it would be alright, because I died with nothing but peace in my heart. Because _I love you, Alyss. I always have_ " The last words came out husky and unsteady.

The moment the last words escaped from his lips, Alyss closed the distance between them. Her hands skimmed up his chest and wrapped around his neck as she kissed him furiously. She felt his arms wrap around her tightly as he kissed her back with just as much fervor. Both of their bodies became warm with passion. After a long time, Alyss pulled away, and were both breathless.

"I love you, Will." She said softly. She felt her heart ache when he pulled her back to him, touching his lips to hers in the lightest of kisses, a contrast to the one they just shared. He pulled her onto his lap, put his hands in her hair, and kissed her again, this time gingerly on her cheek.

"I love you." He said for fourth time that day, softly whispering into her ear. "Always."

* * *

 **I think I'm improving on my dialogue (i say when most of it is literally "i love you"). But honestly, compared to my old stuff this is much better.**

 **I actually wrote much more on this piece, but I thought it would be best to save it for another chapter, so look out for that!**


	3. Light

I'm in the most angsty dark mood HAHAHA! I'm ready to do cruel things to my babies. :)

Not this chapter tho...This one is sort of sweet at the end.

Enjoy :)

* * *

003: Light

Dark and tight spaces were Horace's greatest enemy. For reasons he couldn't explain, places as such frightened him. His worst nightmares consisted of being squeezed to death by darkness.

Oh god, Horace sobbed. I'm living my worst nightmare.

He and Will had but a simple mission. After a group of brigands had attacked and robbed the village of Selsey, they had hidden their stolen treasures in caves. The Ranger and Knight were to go into the cave, take back the money, and arrest all the bandits. Simple as that.

And everything had gone perfectly fine. Horace and Will had went into the caves. They easily found the stash of loot, except for the small tunnels they took made Horace uncomfortable. It was hidden in a sort of underground cavern. They had successfully fought and killed most of the criminals when they didn't surrender, and survivors were arrested and brought out to be sent to jail. The dead were left in the caves.

It was only until both Will and Horace were leaving the caverns when things took a turn for the worst. The ground had begun to shake and the cavern walls started to crumbled.

It was an earthquake.

Horace had been in one of the dark tunnels, following far behind Will, when the first shake happened. It wasn't big, but the sudden movement had knocked his torch out of his hand. When he reached for it, a huge rock, along with some dirt, fell from the ceiling and crushed the torch, extinguishing the fire. The total sudden darkness left Horace almost paralyzed with fear.

He closed his eyes tightly. He didn't know where his friend had gone. He tried calling Will, but no noise came out of his mouth. He felt that if he moved even a little, the walls would crush him from all sides. It was so cramped and Horace found it hard to breath.

Another shake. Smaller this time, but still made Horace cry out in fear.

I'm going to die like this, Horace groaned in despair.

"Horace?" A voice shouted for him from the vast darkness ahead. Horace's head shot up. It was Will.

"Horace! Where are you?" Will's voice was panicked and cracking. Horace could hear the Ranger coming close to him.

"Will!" He called out, his voice unsteady.

At the sound of Horace's voice, Will almost cried with relief. He turned towards the familiar sound and squeezed through the tunnels to get to him. He had dark thoughts of what have might of happened to his friend. It was a bad idea for him to leave the knight in the tunnels alone, Will now realized. He knew of his friends fear of tight places. That's why Horace was not moving.

"Come on Horace," he whispered, "we have to get it of here."

Horace shook his head. His breathing was quick and shallow.

"We can't just stay in here. Horace you have to come with me." Will's voice was getting tighter.

The earth rumbled again. More violent this time. Will looked up and saw the top of the tunnel crumble a little. This was not a safe place for them to be.

"Horace, come on!" He spoke urgently, and he starting pulling his friends arm. "This place is going to collapse. We have to get out of here!"

"No!" Horace stammered, "I can't do it. I really can't."

"You have to Horace!" Will's voice was fierce and determined, "Do you really think I'm going to leave you in here?"

The tunnel began to shake more violently and Horace felt his whole body freeze. Never had he been so afraid.

Will grew more desperate. He knew it wouldn't be long before the tunnel would collapse on the both of them. Horace's irrational fear was going to kill them both. He grabbed his friends shoulder.

"Listen to me Horace," he spoke firmly. "If you don't get moving, we will both die."

Horace didn't move. Will leaned closer to the him. His voice was gentle now.

"I know you are scared, bud. But we have to get out of here. Take my hand," he slipped his hand into the knight's. "Let me be your light."

Horace looked up into the dark figure of Wills face. He felt the Ranger squeezed his hand and suddenly felt an enormous amount of comfort. The knots in his stomach eased slightly and he gripped his friend's hand.

Will smiled with relief. He pulled Horace with him as he hurried through the tight tunnels. He didn't let go, not until they were finally out of the caves

* * *

Reviews are greatly appreciated :))


	4. Dark

**This one took quite a while due to loss of inspiration. But don't worry I'm back on track.**

 **So here comes the next one... Enjoyy.**

* * *

 **004: Dark**

Halt swallowed as he looked down at Will's unconscious body. The boy looked peaceful enough sleeping in bed. More peaceful than the screaming and cries that filled the infirmary just hours previously.

Halt heard footsteps behind him and turned to see Edward, the physician, walking towards him with a grim look on his face.

"How is he?" The Ranger asked him. He kept his voice low.

Edward shook his head regretfully and sighed. The look on his face made the knots in Halt's stomach tighten painfully. The doctor shrugged.

"Can't really say at this point. The poison was not in his system long, but I haven't seen any symptoms yet. Well…" He glanced at Will's sleeping form. "Except for the incredible pain." Halt growled.

"Can you do anything about that? The pain I mean." Again the physician shrugged.

"I did what I could. I gave him some warmweed and a sleeping drug. An some clove for his fever." He patted Halt's arm gently. "He will be fine for the time being."

The last four words didn't give the Ranger much assurance, but he nodded absently several times. Then he turned back to the bed his former apprentice was resting in. He sat himself down in the chair resting beside it. He looked at Will's face for moment, then took the young man's limp hand in both of his, letting out a long sigh.

"Im sorry my boy." He whispered into his hands.

He remembered that moment when Will had been shot by that poisoned arrow.

 _Being a bloody hero like always,_ Halt shook his head.

The two of them had been tracking down some bandits right outside of Redmont. With a stroke of bad luck, they had been caught and surrounded by a small group criminals. There was a skirmish, but it ended shortly due to the fact that the Rangers had felled them with their arrows within minutes.

They had already gotten back to their horses and were headed back to Redmont when Will saw a man hiding in the trees. The man had a crossbow aimed at Halt and before the two of them could do anything, he shot. Will, who was right beside the older Ranger, moved towards Halt in a impulsive gesture to protect his mentor. The arrow buried itself deep in the young man's upper arm.

Since the arrowhead had gone too deep in his arm for Halt to pull in out, the older Ranger had taken a pained Will to the infirmary. It was Edward that told them the arrow was laced with poison. It explained Will's extreme pain and high fever.

Halt's jaw clenched. His condition was not improving. He knew that if Will's health didn't get better, he would have to make a very long trip to Macindaw.

There was only one person to turn to when all others failed.

* * *

Alyss hurried through the halls of Redmont Castle. It was very early and there didn't seem to be many people awake so she took that opportunity to break into a run. She headed straight for the infirmary door.

The first thing she heard when she opened the door was a agonized cry. The color left her face. She sprinted passed the nurses and into the room which currently held Will. Stopping at the doorway, she saw several people huddled around the bed.

Will was jerking around in pain. One man was holding Will down with a hand in his chest. Another woman was gripping his forehead, holding it down. The others were holding his arms and legs down to the bed, stopping him from thrashing around. Wills face was scrunched in pained grimace, eyes wide open. He gave another violent twitch and let out another strangled cry.

Alyss's breath quicken in panic. She stood watching as one of the men, Edward the doctor, used a small blade to cut a shallow line into Will's arm. Edward quickly took a small dropper and poured three drops into the fresh cut, and just as quick, a nurse came forward to tie the wound with a clean bandage.

Almost immediately Wills shaking stopped. Will sucked in a hiccup of a breath and lay stiff for a moment, then let out a shaking breath, relaxing his whole body. All the nurses gave a collected sigh of relief.

"Is he going to alright?"

They all looked up to Alyss who was standing at the end of the bed. Her face was expressionless but her eyes gave away the worry and panic she felt. Edward walked up to her and put a hand on her shoulder.

"My dear, we are doing all we can." He saw that the words didn't give Alyss an ounce of reassurance. He added "Hopefully Halt will be back from his trip to Macindaw with the physician that we all hear great things about."

Alyss glanced at him and nodded. She didnt attempt to smile because she knew it would be in vain. Edward nodded to the rest of the doctors, signaling them to leave the room.

"He should be better now." he said told her. " The fever has gone down and it shouldnt be back for a while. You can go talk to him." Then he turned and left the room.

Alyss looked back to Will. His eyes were closed and his breathing was heavy. She walked around to the side of the bed and went on her knees so her head was level with his. Will opened his eyes and turned his head slowly to look at her.

Their eyes met and Alyss could see the fatigue. But he smiled at her. He blinked deliberately slow, as if to urge her to say something. Alyss sighed slowly and closed her eyes for a brief moment. She didn't want to ask the same "how are you" or "how are you feeling" questions because she was familiar with the answers. She opened her eyes back up to look into his tired eyes.

"Halt went to get Malcolm" Was all she said. Will nodded slightly.

"I heard." Even speaking seemed to cause him pain. The words forced themselves out of his mouth. "When did he leave?"

"Two days prior." Then she added "When you had your first seizure."

Will let out a small sigh at this. Alyss glanced quickly at him.

"Do you feel hurt?" She asked, concerned.

Will went to shrug then winced in pain. He looked at her pointingly, not wanting to waste strength to talk. Alyss sighed and nodded. She reached forward and took one of his hands in hers.

Dont worry Will. Malcolm is coming. Everything is going to get better." Will grinned at her innocent statements. He brought her hand to his lips. Then changed the subject.

"I don't see why Halt had to go all the way to Macindaw." He said softly. Alyss let out a small incredulous laugh.

"These doctors haven't done anything for you Will" she whispered. "They just dump painkillers and fever reducers into your body. You need Malcolm to actually rid you of this wretched poison."

Will kept silent at this, he couldn't help but agreed. He closed his eyes again and shifted, wincing in pain. Alyss felt a pang of regret. Upsetting him wasn't her intention. She leaned forward and put her lips under his eye, light and quick.

"Everything is go to be okay." She whispered. She was reassuring herself more than him.

She kissed him again. Will's eyes fluttered open briefly, then closed when the fatigue took over.

* * *

With no business to be done that day, Alyss stayed with Will while he slept. After half an hour of just watching him, she left the room to see if there was any help needed around the infirmity. She helped the nurses fold the linen and sheets. Then she went into the small children's care room to play with the sick younglings in a attempt to calm her anxiety for Will.

Two hours later, one of the nurses beckoned Alyss into Will's room. The courier hurriedly scrambled after her. She entered the room to see the nurse standing over Will. He was fidgeting and groaning, but his eyes were tightly shut.

"His fever is high again." The nurse had a worried expression on her face. She looked up to Alyss. "I need you to help me with the cooling clothes."

While Alyss helped soak the cloths in cold water, the nurse, Rose, told her of Will's decreasing situation.

"These bouts of fever aren't doing your man any good." She said as she placed the cloth on Will's head. "He is terribly weak. And none of our remedies are helping him."

Alyss couldn't help but growl. "Well maybe you need to make better remedies." she snapped. Rose looked up at her briefly. She said nothing but her eyes showed regret.

"Im afraid our only chance for young Will," She stroked his forehead fondly." Is your friend Malcolm." Alyss nodded sadly.

"Im sorry for snapping at you." she said stuttered. "I just...Its hard for me to keep it together when...I-I..."

Alyss couldn't piece her words together. The nurse raised a hand to stop her from speaking.

"Its alright darling. Think nothing of it."

Rose finished cooling Will's head and forced some clove in his mouth to once again reduce his fever. When Will settled down, she left the room. Alyss resumed her seat next to Will's bed, a long sigh escaping her mouth.

About fifteen minutes later, Will stirred from his sleep and let out a muffled groan. He shifted himself slightly, then felt a sudden flare of pain in hishead. He gasped and opened his eyes wide. The pain seemed to intense and he let out another low groan.

"Will?"

The sound startled him. It was Alyss, he knew, but the sound was so close. He turned his head towards her voice but saw nothing. It was pitch black.

"Babe how do you feel?" She was so close that Will couldn't help but pull back. Why couldn't he see her? Why couldnt he see anything? He felt a small worm of panic in his stomach.

Was it dark outside? Will painfully moved his head around, trying to look for any uncertain light. It scared him how he had no perspective of anything. He didnt even know where he was anymore. He put a hand to his face, feeling for his eyes. There was nothing covering his face. he touched his eyes and started.

They were open.

He began breathing faster. _This isn't happening. Please dont let this be happening to me._ He clutched his chest weakly in fear.

"Alyss." He called to her in the darkness. His voice was very unsteady.

"Whats wrong Will?" Her voice was uncertain.

Alyss could see Will's panicked expression, but didn't know what it was. She saw his breath quicken

"Are you pain?" She asked frantically. She reached out and felt his forehead. There was no fever. She went to check his arm wound for inflamation, but then stopped. The words Will said made her freeze.

 _"I can't see."_

* * *

 **Hehehehehehee... Yep he's blind.**


	5. Seeking Solace

**I really really live the relationship between Will and Pauline and I feel like people don't talk about their mother/son connection enough.**

 **WELL IM NOT HAVING IT!**

 **Enjoy :)**

* * *

 **005: Seeking Solace**

There were times when it all was too much for him. He didnt even know what it was that made him feel so weighed down. He always though that over time, it would get easier. And he wouldn't have to feel this swirl of overwhelming emotion that left him in such a crippled state.

Will let out a heavy sigh as he walked down one of the many halls of Redmont Castle. He turned a corner as he made his way to Ranger Halt's apartment.

On days like these, the first person he would turn to for comfort was the beautiful Lady Alyss. Just her presence would ease the knots out of his stomach and make it easier for him to breath. She would hold him for hours and whisper comfort in his ear, and she always knew the perfect words to say to make him feel better. But to Will's immense disappointment, she was away on a courier routine trip.

But there was one other person he could turn to.

Will stood in front of their door and knocked. He looked straight forward, to the wall, but saw nothing.

The door opened and Lady Pauline's face came into view. When she saw the young Ranger, her whole face lit up.

"Will, dear" she said with a soft grin. She moved to the side and beckoned him into the apartment. "Please, come in."

Will felt a fraction of _anxiety_ float away from his body. He smiled and ducked his head in modesty.

"I don't mean to bother you. I just...I just need...um" He didn't really know how to explain why he was here. He couldn't explain what he was feeling. "Is Halt here?"

She shook her head. "No Halt left for a meeting just an hour ago." There was a flash of disappointment that crossed his face. He looked down and nodded several times, as if the words were processing wrong in his mind. He seemed to be gathering himself, making sure all his emotions wouldn't spill out. He looked up and gave her a small smile.

"That's ok. Ill come back later."

Pauline frowned slightly. She could see turmoil in his brown eyes and it broke her heart. _So young,_ she always thought to herself, _and yet he has such heavy burdens._ There was nothing more she wanted to do than to lift those burdens from his shoulders.

She brought a hand up to his cheek, causing him to turn quickly and look at her.

"Why don't you come inside." She offered him. Will shook his head.

"No no that's alright Pauline. I didn't come here to bother you."

Pauline smiled reassuringly. "Come inside Will." She said softly.

He shook his head several times. He was holding himself back, she could see the struggle in his eyes. He opened his mouth to voice denial again, but then stopped when Pauline's eyes widened in a warning. She wasn't going to ask again.

 _It's ok_ , she mouthed to him

Will looked at her for a moment, then let out a breezy laugh and relented. He walked passed her and into the room. Pauline smiled and followed him in.

"I trust you want coffee?" She called to him behind her shoulder as she made her way to the cooking fire. Then she grinned and shook her head. "Of course you do."

Will grinned back at her and sat down on one of the chairs at the table. Already he could feel the knots in his stomach loosen and disappear.

After a few minutes Pauline returned with two large mugs of the steaming hot coffee. She placed them down then beckoned for Will to drink. He took a sip of the liquid and smiled, the first real smile she had seen from him.

She reached forward and placed her hand on top of his. He looked up at her, a question in his eyes.

"Now Will," she said seriously. "If you ever feel badly- and I can tell when you do- you come to me you hear? I am always here when you need me." She spoke sincerely and firmly.

Will felt so much warmth coming from her words, he was speechless.

 _This_ , he realized, _must be what having a mother is like._

 _"_ Thank you Pauline." He said softly. She smiled at him and nodded. His eyes were back to the bright sparkling brown they usually were. And she couldn't be more pleased.

 _This,_ she knew, is _what having a son must be like."_


	6. Blood

**Hey guys! i decided to skip a few themes because...I didnt wanna do them. I couldn't find a good story to write on them sadly. And this idea stuck in my head and i cried about it at night.**

 **Sorry if that causes any inconvenience. But i really enjoyed writing this story and i hope you enjoy reading it. :)**

* * *

 **017: Blood**

He opened his eyes and let out a violent gasp.

It was a dream but it still didn't register in Will's mind. It was all so real to him. The words kept echoing in his head like a mocking demon.

 _You killed them you killed them you killed them you killed them YOU KILLED THEM_

I killed them, he whispered. He suddenly felt choked by the covers around him and his breathing grew ragged. He sat up and pulled the covers away from him. That wasn't enough. He threw them off the bed and then ripped the pillows off in violent movements. He still couldn't breathe; the whole room was strangling him.

 _YOU KILLED THEM, YOU KILLED THEM, YOU KILLED THEM, YOU KILLED THEM—_

Will couldn't think straight. He sat hunched on the bare mattress, one hand pressed to it with his other arm wrapped around his stomach, eyes shut tight. Uncontrollable emotions blurred his senses and perception. He opened his eyes suddenly and they landed on the contents on the table beside his bed.

 _Water clock. Book. Coffee mug. Throwing knife. They whispered to him._

 _You killed them you...killed them you killed...them you killed—you killed—you you you you_

Stop. In a blinding rage, Will lifted his hand to throw the objects off the table, but then stopped when he saw something out of the corner of his eye. He turned, and stifled gasped.

Blood was dripping down the walls. Starting from the corners of the ceiling, the thick red liquid trailed down the cabin walls, making a pattern. Will startled a little when he thought he felt something drip onto the mattress under him.

A blood stain. Just as he looked, another drop plopped next to it. He looked up to his hand, which was still raised, then felt bile raise in his throat. His hands were covered with red.

 _It's you it's you,_ the walls accused him _. It's on you...YOU DID IT_

Will nodded numbly. The blood is on my hands. I did it. I know. It was me.

He slid to the end of the bed bringing himself closer to the wall. He stared at the pattern of red trails. It scared the shit out of him, but he couldn't look away. He was totally numb.

 _I know. Its all my fault_.

 _GOOD_.

* * *

"Will?"

He didn't move, his eyes were still trained to the wall.

Alyss walked towards him cautiously, stepping over the pillows laying on the floor. She kept her eyes on him, who didn't seem to know she was there. She reached her hand out and placed it on his shoulder, causing him to wince. He shrugged her hand off, but she didn't pull away.

"It okay," She whispered to him. "It's okay gorgeous, it's me." She reached out again, but Will backed away from her, lifting a hand to ward her off.

"No no, no..." his voice was so unsteady, as if he was on the verge of tears. "Stay away from me."

Alyss shook her head and gulped. She reached forward again and grabbed his shoulder, pulling him towards her.

"It's all right! Talk to me Will, if you would just—"

"NO!" He pushed her away with one hand, causing her to fall back a little. He scooted away, back to the middle of the mattress, and lifted his knees, wrapping his arms around them.

Alyss clenched her jaw. She wasn't about to leave him like this. Climbing into bed, she went to him, placing her hands on the side of his head, and gently lifting it. When he resisted, she used more strength. Finally, he complied, and brought his head up, but turned it away almost immediately. But the short amount of time was long enough to see the tears that streamed down his face.

He needed her, she knew that.

Alyss brought herself closer to her traumatized lover, bringing his head to her. He pulled away again, shaking his head.

"No," he gasped, "Get away."

She reached out yet again, this time forcefully. With one hand she brought his head to her neck, the other wrapped around his middle tightly. Will tried pulling away, but she held tighter. Slowly, he gave up, relaxing into her grip, and leaning into her pull. He buried his face into her neck and gripped her clothes as if his life depended it on it, he stifled sobs.

Alyss stroked his hair and whispered sweet words in his ear, holding him tightly. Then she thought she heard him say something, and leaned closer to him. "Say it again, babe."

Will shifted his head slightly so she could hear him clearer. He whispered "The blood is going to get all over you."

This startled Alyss. "Blood?"

Will nodded slightly, "The blood on my hands. The blood on the walls."

Alyss pulled Will away from her. She looked into his tear filled eyes, seeing the trauma, the confusion and immense regret. She took his hand gently in both of hers and lifted it up slightly, showing it to him.

"There's no blood, darling," she stroked his face. "There's no blood. Everything is all right."

Will looked down at his hand for a moment, uncomprehending. Then, he looked up at the walls and realization dawned on him. He nodded, his bottom lip quivering a little then looked down in shame and laughed slightly.

"Of course not. That's not possible. It's the guilt... I can't think right. I thought...I thought that..." He opened his mouth but no more words came out. Will clenched his jaw and shut his eyes tight, struggling to hold his tears back. Alyss pulled him in again, letting him cry in her neck.

"It's not your fault," she said. He shook his head, not removing it from her shoulder. He couldn't help but smile sadly at the false ring to her words.

"Ahhh...but that's just not true."

* * *

 **But Seriously guys...Its not his fault.**

 **The backstory: There was a group of potentially dangerous criminals, smugglers, that had brought themselves to Seacliffe. Will was going to deal with these baddies by himself, but a group of orphan boys came to him, ready to help him. One of their friends had been murdered by the smugglers because he had learned too much information about their operation. And as a result, all his friends want revenge and justice.**

 **Of course Will refuses to let a group of teenagers come with him on a dangerous mission. But they insisted and begged and persuaded and finally Will gave in. These boys were trained in some form of fighting, and Will took it upon himself to give them some more defense technique.**

 **But when they go to the criminal hideout Will find out a horrifying secret. The good that were being smuggled were very dangerous weapons, brought from Toscana. A bomb.**

 **Before Will could warn the kids, the bomb was set off and there was a big explosion. 4 kids dead...and the rest critically injured.**

 **And Will just couldn't wipe the blood off his hands from one of the kids that he dragged from the rubble.**


	7. Tears

**026: Tears**

" _Mummy?"_

Will's eyes blinked open.

" _Daaddy?"_

In his arms, Alyss gave a heavy sigh.

"And there goes our peace and quiet." Her voice muffled in his chest. Caitlyn's nap time was the only chance the two of them got to spend time with each other alone.

" _Mummmyy?"_ The voice was louder this time, with a hint of whining.

They both chuckled. Pulling away, Will stretched his arms out, then sat up suddenly. He looked down at his wife still snuggled by his side. He patting her hip gently.

"Well, it was fun while it lasted." She smiled up at him and nodded.

"Daaaaaadddyyyyyy?" This time, the wail ended in a small, heart-melting sob that made the Ranger stand to his feet and rush to retrieve his distressed daughter from in the bedroom.

Sitting up in her high crib, Caitlyn's mouth was in a small pout, her tear filled eyes covered by her unruly sleep-tousled hair. When she saw her father in the doorway, she attempted to stand up, only to fall back down and start crying. Will came to her, reaching his arms out and lifted her up out of bed. He hugged her to him.

"I'm here darling, no need to cry." He soothed, rocking her back and forth.

He smoothed the hair out of her face and wiped the tears from her cheek. He watched as her cries slowly stopped, but noticed her small, adorable pout was yet to leave. He kissed her forehead

"Did you have a nice nap?" he asked gently. She didn't reply, only buried her face in his neck. He kissed her again, on the crown of her head, and walked out of the bedroom to where Alyss was still laying on the couch.

The courier looked up when they approached, and smiled at Caitlyn.

"How was your sleep sweetheart?" She sat up, her arms reaching for her daughter. Will placed the baby in her lap and sat down next to them.

Instantly, the toddler started crying again.

Will laughed as Alyss started hugging and crooning, trying to get their distressed daughter to calm down.

"Look what you've done now Alyss!" He said shaking his head, mock disparagingly, bringing his face closer. "It's alright Cait, it's not that bad! Your mother is not that bad!"

Alyss glared at him, swatting his hand away when he tried reaching for the child.

"That's not fair and you know it." She hugged Caitlyn closer to her, kissing her tear stained cheek several times. "She just doesn't like being put down after naps. Isn't that right?"

She dug her fingers gently in the child's side, tickling her. The sweet sound of her giggling filled Alyss and Will's ears, bringing an involuntary smile to both of their faces . Will took it a step further.

"How about a biscuit?" He saw his daughter's eyes light up. He grinned "Would you like some?"

And just like that, the tears and the fuss was long forgotten. A huge smile spread on her chubby face, and she stood from her mother's lap.

" _Bitcut_?" She asked expectantly, her big eyes locked on her father's face

"Yes, my sweet." Will lifted her into his arms, taking them to the kitchenette. " _Biscuit_. Let's go get some."

Alyss laughed and followed behind.

"I'd like some too please."


	8. Distraction

**Yes I also notice that this collection is starting you become only about wilyss. It was not my intention, but it's all I've been in the mood to write lately.**

 **This was a response to a request I got on my tumblr.**

* * *

 **018: Distraction**

"Ready to go?" Will's voice came from outside the room. Alyss glanced at the water clock on her table, and winced. They were going to be late.

"Almost," She called back, voice muffled from the pins in her mouth, as she pulled her hair up to twist into an elegant bun. It was tedious and intricate, with _way_ too many pins, and after her third attempt of trying to get it perfect, her frustration started getting the best of her. But it was an important event she was to attend, and it wouldn't do to show up with anything less than a beautiful and elegant look.

It was a ball, hosted by King Duncan of Araluen for the respected King Horacio of Iberion, in celebration of the strong and loyal alliance between their two countries. All important and significant officials from both kingdoms were invited, and that included Rangers and Diplomats. So Will and Alyss had traveled together for days from Redmont to Castle Araluen to attend the prestigious occasion.

"My goodness." The courier turned her head to see Will leaning against the doorframe, looking at her in disbelief. "Does it really take this long for you to get ready?"

"Well I would have been ready ages ago," Alyss growled, turning back to face the mirror. "If it weren't for this bloody fancy hairstyle." Her mouth was still filled with pins, and her hands still tangled in her hair.

Will grinned at her obvious struggling. He pushed off of the doorframe and walked to her, looking at her through the mirror.

"Must it be _this_ hairstyle?" He asked curiously. He didn't understand why she had to exert so much effort for something as trivial as... _hair._

" _Yes,_ Will," she said impatiently. "This is an important event, and I have to - Hey- no, no, Will, _what are you doing?"_

For he had begun to gently pull her hair out of her hands.

"Will," She protested, reaching up to take it back, only to have her hands pushed away. "We don't have time for this! Give me back my hair!" The last words came out as a laugh when she realized how ridiculous they sounded.

"Trust me, Alyss," He said, smiling at her. "Let me do your hair."

Alyss sighed and stopped resisting him reluctantly. It was true that he was quite good at doing her hair... _but those were just_ _braids!_ She shut her eyes and breathed a silent prayer that he wouldn't pull her hair into two of those - what he called "adorable"- pigtails.

Alyss couldn't help but admire all the Iberion people in the banquet hall. The exotic guests were all dressed in magnificent and stylish clothing. The woman were beautiful and poised, with long dark hair and bronzed skin. The men were tall and well built, with sharp features and piercing eyes and - One of the men turned to look back at her. Alyss started, hastily looking away. Her cheeks reddened. She hadn't realized she was staring. She raised a glass to her lips to hide her embarrassment, and casually turned her whole body away from the group of fascinating foreigners, hoping to find a distraction behind her.

And walking towards her, was the distraction that transcended all other distractions.

Dressed in a stylish black vest over a silk white shirt - he refused anything with _frills -_ He looked rather striking. It was a contrast to the usually rugged look of a Ranger. His hair was short, neat and stylish, with a few strands that fell away from the rest. _It makes him look even more dashing,_ she thought. His stubble was cleanly trimmed, and when he looked up and smiled at her, it made his dimples stand out. _Iberions were nothing but toads compared to him_ , she smirked.

For a small moment every other person in that hall, Araluen and Iberian, was faded from Alyss's vision, and all she saw was Will.

"Can I say I told you so?" He said softly when he finally came to her side, his gaze locked on her hair. "Because I told you so." She grinned, reaching up to touch it.

"It is quite nice." She admitted.

He had, in fact, braided her hair. Two small elegant braids that went from both sides of her head to the middle, which Alyss then successfully pulled up into a perfect bun. It was simple but elegant and beautiful.

Will grinned back at her, stepping back to admire it once more. "It looks nice." He said proudly. Then his eyes skimmed her whole figure and his smile softened. "And you look _very_ nice."

She was dressed in a beautifully cut emerald dress, which left one of her shoulders bare. When she walked, she seemed to glide gracefully, the ends of the dress fluttering behind her. She wore a simple silver necklace around her neck, which kept attracting Will's eyes. He found himself, on more than one occasion, resisting the urge to kiss her there.

She smiled at him and shrugged coyly. Before she could say anything, the band started playing and the dancing was announced to start.

People streamed towards the middle of the room, and formed into organized pairs to dance to the slow song that had begun. Will held his hand out to Alyss, looking at her in a silent invitation to dance with him. She smiled and took it gracefully, following him into the dancing circle.

After hours and hours of dance practice with her, in preparation for their wedding, Will had become a master at dancing. He seamlessly placed his hands where they needed to go - one on her hip and another in her hand - and they gracefully moved together around the hall. Alyss was beaming at him, and he blushed under her scrutiny, suddenly very conscious.

"What is it? Am I doing it wrong?"

"You are amazing. You have gotten so much better!" She leaned closer to him. "And I quite enjoy being seen on your arm."

Will raised his eyebrows. "Well I have to say the same. You are _undoubtedly_ the most stunning woman in this hall." This time it was her turn to blush.

"And I'm not the only one who thinks so." he added, staring piercingly at an Iberion man who was paying a little bit _too_ close attention to Alyss. The man snapped away when he realized he had been caught.

"Doesn't it bother you though?" Alyss said uncomfortably, grateful when Will moved to stand between her and the unwelcome gaze. "Don't you sometimes wish I was an ugly pig so that you could easily keep me for yourself. Because sometimes, Will Treaty, I wish you didn't look so breathtakingly like the _face of the moon._ "

Will smiled sheepishly. "It does bother me a little." He brought his hand a little lower down her back, and pulled her closer to him, causing her to feel warm. "But very little. Especially if it's just admiring looks."

"Why?" Alyss's breath quickened as his fingers trailed up and down her back, slow and tantalizing. He leaned close so that he nose to nose with her, looking deep into her eyes.

"Because," he whispered, almost touching her lips. "I am the only one who knows what you _sound_ like...and _taste_ like...and _feel_ like...when you're in _my_ bed."

Then he kissed her, long and languid, swaying with her gracefully to the music. When he went to pull away, Alyss held him back, pressing herself fully against him

"You're very right about that." She breathed near his ear. Then she leaned ever so closer and whispered something _obscene._

And Will planned to follow her instructions to the _tee_ that night.

* * *

 **Please let me know what you thought!**


	9. Memory

**This story is a continuation of chapter "Love". I suggest you read that first ;)**

 **And yes. This is another wilyss. Sue me for loving them so much.**

* * *

 **011: Memory**

"Do you remember the satellite stone?"

It was much later in the evening. Alyss did end up giving Will something to eat, after a few minutes of him insisting for her not to. While she prepared the food, the Ranger went to the stables to retrieve his bags and mandola case, and when he had finished eating he pulled out the beautiful instrument. They spent the rest of the night sitting by the fire, speaking softly to each other, Alyss's head resting comfortably on Will's shoulder while he strummed the strings of his mandola in a soothing tune.

When she spoke Will tilted his head to look at her.

"You mean that meaningless rock that Malcolm fooled us both with?" He smiled, setting the mandola on the ground. He took her hand, preferring the close contact with her. "What about it?"

"Well," she started, her gaze resting on their entwined hands. "For it to 'work', a person would have to focus on a positive image. That's what counteracts the mesmerism." She trailed off, looking meaningfully at him.

Will sat back, looking at her with amusement. "I always wondered what 'postive image' you would use." His grinned widened suddenly. "Do you remember that hilarious minstrel show we saw when we were children? For some reason I always thought that would be your "positive image".

Alyss frowned. "What minstrel show? I don't remember."

"Oh Alyss, come one!" He exclaimed, sitting up suddenly, causing her to lift her head from his shoulder. "We must have been around six years old. It was during a harvest festival, and we had eaten so much sweets we got sick. Remember?"

She squinted, racking her brain for the memory. "No…"

He continued. "And then we were brought to the huge stage to watch the performances, and the two of us sat front row." He chuckled. "The show was so funny, we laughed about it for days afterwards."

"I think I know what you're talking about." She said the words slowly, and he smiled, knowing that she actually didn't have a clue.

"Okayy...but you must remember when the man fell off his horse…" He left sentence trailing, raised his eyebrows and watching for recognition in her eyes. "And fell into the pile of mud…And the - "

"OHHHHH!" Alyss suddenly burst out, and started laughing. "Oh, I remember now!"Will nodded and grinned, delighted that she could finally share the fond memory with him.

"And the minstrel was dresses so silly!" She started babbling, piecing the memory together." We couldn't stop giggling about it. I remember you dressed up like him once, months later, to make me laugh."

Will raised his eyebrows and laughed. "Oh yes! I remember that!"

She suddenly remembered the moment vividly. She had been upset that day, for she had just had an encounter with a group of rich, noblemen daughters, that decided to fulfill their entertainment by mocking and taunting her. She was only a child then, and not the strong-willed woman she was now, and she remembered her feelings being extremely hurt. Alyss remembered crying in the Ward playroom, when Will came up to her, dressed in the most absurd jongleur outfit, and put a smile on her face when he re-enacted the iconic minstrel show they watched only a few months previously.

She felt Will's hand squeeze hers and was pulled away from her memory. Their giggles had trailed off, and he was gazing at her with a soft smile.

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't seem to look away; He didn't want to miss a moment of her. Everytime she smiled he felt his heart twinge with love, and everytime she laughed he felt it swell in his chest, almost too much to bear. From the moment they kissed for the first time that night, Will felt cold without her touch. If he wasn't holding her face or hugging her waist while he was kissing her, he was stroking her cheek and hair, holding her in his lap, or, like now, simply holding her hand.

"It was you." Alyss said softly, her eyes breaking away from his. Will frowned, confused. "You were the positive memory I used to counteract the mesmerism."

He didn't give her a grand reaction, and she didn't expect him to. His eyes widened a fraction in surprise, and the hand that held her squeezed tighter. But he was looking at her with a peculiar expression on his face, and she wasn't sure exactly what he was thinking.

But the thoughts flooding his mind were identical to hers.

The feeling of being loved deeply, was unfamiliar to both Will and Alyss. As orphans they didn't have parents to give them the affection most children wanted and needed. Alyss had never experienced the warm comfort of being held in a loving embrace, until he held her earlier that evening. Will had never heard the words "I love you" said to him, until she whispered them into his ear. Alyss had never been gazed at with such devotion and tenderness, until his eyes bore into hers. And Will had never been gazed at with such ardor, until she looked deep into his. Alyss never remembered feeling safe, until she melted into his embrace and felt the softness of his lips against hers.

There were no words to express how amazing that felt; to finally, truly, be loved.

So, Will didn't feel the need to say anything. Instead he leaned slowly towards her, and like a invisible magnet she drew closer to him. His hands slid behind her, arms tightening around her waist, holding her to him. And her arms slipped around her neck, her hands went into his hair, feeling the solidness of his head. They were nose to nose, staring deep into each other's eyes. They saw the love, devotion, tenderness, safety that was so unfamiliar only a little time before.

Will tilted his head a fraction forwards, his lips came tantalizingly close, but never touched hers. Alyss closed her eyes, revelling in the closeness of him. She could feel his eyelashes on her cheekbone, his nose bumping hers gently, and his warm breath making it harder and harder for her to stop from grabbing him collar and taking his mouth with hers.

She instead, leaned back, falling on her back on the couch and dragged Will down with her. To keep himself from falling completely on top of her, he propped himself up with his hands on either side of her.

"My god," Will whispered. She looked up into his eyes above her and bright, brown eyes stared back at her. He brought his hand up to stroke her cheek, dropping his body gently beside her. He watched her, his expression unguarded and tender. His fingers trailed over the perfect features of her face. Her cheekbone...her eyebrows...her ears...her lips. His thumb lingered on her lips, feeling the softness of them. It tickled her, and she held onto the finger and kissed it several times, rubbing away the feeling. Her grey eyes were fixated on his, and he felt his mind getting lost inside their beauty.

"I feel like my heart is breaking, Alyss." He gasped out, softly. "My heart is breaking with love for you."

She started to grin at his dramatic words, but stopped. He was completely serious; his eyes don't show a hint of dishonestly. Her stomach flipped, her face flushed, she opened her mouth slightly several times, but she couldn't bring any words out of her throat.

But she didn't have to. Will leaned down and kissed her, drinking her futile, unsaid words. Alyss melted into his warm embrace, relieved, and sighed softly against his lips. She kissing him back with the same intensity he gave her. His passion made her head spin and she clung to him, her fingers digging into his back. She deepened their kiss, forgetting to breathe. And when they finally pulled away, Will buried his face in her neck, leaving marks with his mouth for her to remember when he left.

And then he held her, cradling her in his arms until they both fell asleep, lulled by the warmth of each other's body. And they slept soundly, with the comfort that love would never be unfamiliar them.

Not as long as they both lived.

* * *

 **God damn. I suck at writing stuff like this...But it's alli wanna read. WHY CAN'T LIFE BE EASY AND JUST GIVE ME THIS SHIT TO READ.**

 **All I want is for Will to hold Alyss and kiss her and cradle her. I want Alyss to do the same to Will. Is that too much to as? I want my babies to be happy.**


	10. Give Up

**This idea came when I recommended my friend thatweirdgirlyouallknow a story that my dear friend aseikh wrote. I reread the story and laughed my butt off and instantly got the idea for this story and wrote it on the spot. It's probably not that well-written but I wanted to get it published before I lost motivation or interest.**

 **I hope you like it**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own the precious teddy bear and the adorable sinnamon roll.**

* * *

 **051: Give Up**

Horace's head slammed into the ground. He tried getting up, but the arm that locked tightly around his neck held him down firmly. He attempted to pull the arm away, but his opponent grabbed his arm and twisted it painfully, causing him to cry out in pain. The sweat that beaded his forehead fell into his eyes, blurring his sight and disorienting him.

"Just give up." His enemy whispered close to his ear, taunting him.

Horace tried to speak, but the vice-like arm around his throat blocked his words, and he could only omit squeaking sounds. His combatant chuckled, seemed to take great pleasure in his struggle. The knight tried one more time to escape, bucking his whole body, twisting and grabbing desperately with his free hand, trying to throw off his smaller opponent's hold on him.

But to no avail. The arm squeezed tighter around his neck, and Horace was choking, no longer able to breathe. Meanwhile his arm flashing with pain as it was twisted into an even more unnatural angle. He finally yelled out, hitting the arm around his neck desperately in the sign of surrender.

" _GAAAGHHK_." Instantly, he was released, and his opponent rolled off him.

Horace sat up, gasping for lost air, holding his neck tenderly. He groaned, feeling the bruises that had formed when his arm was brutally twisted. He turned his head to face the guilty man, glaring at him.

"Did you really have to be so vicious, Will?"

But the Ranger wasn't looking at him. He was sitting only a few inches away, his eyes closed and his forehead resting on his fist. Horace watched as his friend lifted his head, placed his fist on his chest, and exhaled a shaky breath.

" _Y-yesss_." Will hissed. He looked up to the sky, and pointed to it, shaking his finger. " _YES_."

Horace rolled his eyes, wiping the dirt and grass off his pants.

"It's not a big deal." But his friend ignored him.

"I _won."_ Will had the deepest urge to jump up and hoot for joy. But instead he grinned and shook his head, incredibly proud of himself. "I beat you Horace Altman. In not just anything...but in _wrestling_. In _god damn_ wrestling!" He let out a bark of laughter and wiped his imaginary tears.

"Once." said Horace, totally unimpressed. "One time out of, like, twenty." Will dismissed it with a hand gesture.

"You're just jealous."

He stood up and wiped the dirt from his own clothes. He held out a hand to Horace, who was still sitting down, and helped him to his feet. He grinned up at him, and Horace smirked back.

"Oh get off your high horse, Will. You aren't stronger than me." The Ranger shrugged, unconcerned.

"Aren't I though? Who just beat you in a round of wrestling? Oh that's right. Me."

"Alright, then let's have another round." The knight challenged, grinning. He went back into the ready stance, but Will had already turned away and was walking towards the cabin.

"No, I think that's enough for today." He called behind his shoulder. "You must be hungry. I'll make you something."

Horace stood straight, chuckling. "Mmm...sounds like Will Treaty is turning down a round of wrestling because he knows he will lose. And he also knows he only won the last game because of luck. You hear that Will? _IT WAS JUST LUCK!_ " His voice increase higher and higher in volume as Will walked further and further away, until he was across the field and Horace was shouting.

"What was that?" The Ranger called back, looking over his shoulder. "I'm sorry, I can't hear you! It must be the sound of my winning!"

* * *

 **I bet some of you are really happy it wasn't wilyss this time**.


	11. Time

**This was a request given to me by my good friend redrose-arrow on tumblr. Rose is also a fanfic writer, so go check out their work in this site!**

 **Request: Wilyss on their first day of marriage.**

 **Warning you all...it's a fluffy one.**

* * *

 **098:Time**

It was the sun that woke Alyss up. The early morning rays spilled through the windows and onto her face. When she opened her eyes, the brightness blinded her and she squinted, turning her away. That's when she noticed the arm that was wrapped around her middle. She blinked and stared at it, confused, her mind muddled with sleep. She twisted her head to see who was behind her, and her face spread into a wide smile as she instantly remembered. She stared a his sleeping face for a few more moments, her smile getting wider every second, then turned back around, overwhelmed. She shut her eyes and bit her knuckle, willing all of her excited and giddy emotions to stay inside, so as not to wake him up.

Suddenly the arm around her squeezed gently, and she felt a thrill of excitement, swirling her head back to him. This time Will's big, brown, twinkling eyes were staring back at her, smiling.

"Good morning."

She didn't answer for a while, but simply stared at him, admiring all of his features. The sun from behind her highlighted his sleep tousled hair and gave his eyes a golden tinge. His mouth were pulled into a wide smile, deepening his dimples, and she noticed how soft and warm his lips looked. Looking lower, she caught a glimpse of his body underneath the covers. She knew his chest was bare, but couldn't tell with is lower half…

Then when Will suddenly got shy of her admiring scrutiny and nuzzled his face against the the pillow, trying to hide himself from her, Alyss's heart melted with love. He peeked up at her, his cheeks blushing, and she finally responded, turned her whole body around to press against his - and noticed that he was not dressed at all.

"It really is a good morning." She sighed, entwining her legs with his. Her hand came up to push back a peice of hair that fell over his pretty eyes. "I'm sorry for waking you."

Will shook his head, groaning as he stretched the sleep away from body by squeezing her into a tight hug, tucking his head under her chin. He nuzzled her, kissing her neck once. Then one more.

"This has to be the best way I've been woken up. Ever" He mumbled. "By my wife."

He smiled at his words, and at the exact same time, so did Alyss.

He felt her plant a kiss on his temple, then his forehead, and he tilted his head up to catch her lips with his. He held them like that for a long time, and even when she pulled away, his lips lingered.

"We're _married_." whispered Alyss. Her stomach did a flip at the thought. Her whole life she never had anybody, and even though she always thought of Will as her family, it was now official. She was Alyss Mainwaring- _Treaty._ From now till forever.

"Do remember the wedding?" He asked her, a smile in his voice. Alyss shook her head, chuckling.

It was only yesterday. It started as simple and beautiful ceremony in the woods, but quickly became extremely hectic at the after party in Redmont Castle. There were so many well-wishers, so much food, _too much drink,_ and so much dancing that the whole thing became a blur for the newlywed.

"Not at all." She then gave him a coy smile, her cheeks turning pink. "But I remember last night."

Will's eyes widened and he nodded. "How could anyone forget?" The corner of his mouth lifted in a smirk.

He hand had been on her thigh, underneath the covers, and he then brought it up. He buried his face in her neck once more, kissing and sucking on the sensitive skin. She shivered, tightening her fingers around his hair, feeling his skull. The core of her body still ached from the night before.

She murmured, "Are you hungry?"

" _Mmmmm_ " Will grunted affirmatively, his lips going underneath her chin, making her tilt her head up. He then kissed the base of her neck and her collar bones, going lower and lower. She laughed, giving him a weird sensation when her throat moved.

"I meant food, Will!" She pulled his head away gently. He pouted and came up reluctantly, but only to kiss her lips deeply. He held her tightly, and his bare, warm body, melted her to him. He pulled away once, to catch his breath and look at her, his eyes filled with ardor, but Alyss pulled him back impatiently.

It was Will, who, after several long minutes, finally came away fully, "Okay." He leaned away from her, breathing hard, "I should probably make breakfast."

Alyss nodded, rolling off the bed. "And I have to wash my face." But before she could go far, she yelped as Will sprang forward and wrapped his arms around her middle, pulling her back.

"Wait, wait," He grinned, kissing her cheek from behind. "Just a few more minutes in bed" Alyss rolled her eyes, protesting and trying to pull away from him. But his powerful arms held her tightly. She felt his lips next to her ear and heard his teasing voice. "Please, Alyss? Love? _Pleeease…?_ "

She leaned her head back, resting it on top of his. "Five minutes." She tried making her voice stern, but was unsuccessful.

"Five minutes?!" Will cried out. "Only five minutes?" He dug his fingers into her side playfully, tickling her. He received a small shriek of laughter- music to his ears - and then a slap on the arm and a scold. He laughed, and kissed the back of her neck several time, apologizing. Alyss leaned back and kissed him.

And they kissed again, and again, and again. They stayed in bed all through the morning, and it was only until the sun was high in sky did they both stumble out of bed. The newlywed made breakfast together, ate together, then later washed up together, walked together, talked together, made love, and then did it all over again.

Five minutes was nothing for them anymore, because now they a lifetime.

* * *

 **This was so fun omfg. Have i told you how much I think Will is a romantic angel? No? WELL HE IS.**


	12. Surprise

**Its wilyss. Idgaf. :) Love yaaa**

* * *

 **090: Surprise**

She felt a tap on her a shoulder.

"Lady Alyss, I can't find it." The voice was timid.

Sighing, Alyss set the stack of papers in her hands onto the table, and turned to face the girl. She noticed the nervous expression on her face. "Are you sure you looked everywhere, Clarissa?"

"I did! I've been looking for hours!" The girl blurted out, rushing to defend herself. "I looked in the study, I looked in the laboratory, I even checked the - " Alyss stopped her hastily, having her hands in a calming gesture.

"It's alright, Clarissa! It's fine," she smiled and patted the younger girl's shoulder reassuringly. "I will just have to write a new application template." The girl bit her lip guiltily, and the tall courier shook her head and smiling wider. "Don't worry, it shouldn't take too long."

The girl looked skeptical for a moment, but Alyss's smile made her feel much better. It always did.

"I can help you if you would like, my lady," the girl offered. But it was denied with a quick shake of the head.

"That's quite alright. I suggest you get yourself prepared for your diplomatic trip tomorrow. Don't ever leave your preparations until the last moment. Go on now."

The moment the girl was out of her sight, Alyss's smile faded and she let out a heavy sigh.

It was the third time that week that Clarissa had lost important Diplomatic documents. She was new to the Diplomatic Corps; apprenticed only a month previously. Alyss wasn't her mentor, but there were times when the older courier had to give her instructions as a high ranking Courier. In the time spent with her, she learned that Clarissa was a shy, apprehensive, and very insecure girl, and although she had made so many mistakes in such a short time, Alyss found herself feeling bad for the young girl. She excused her many times, waving it off as new apprentice nerves that were just a little harder to shake off. She even offered to spend some private, free time with the girl, to help her feel more comfortable and adjusted.

Usually misplacing paper was not a big deal. But this….

Alyss had lied when she said rewriting the application form wouldn't take long. She estimated it would take her half an hour to finish it up. If she had that application template, her time would have been cut by half, and she would have enough time to tackle the many other work projects she had.

She sighed again. _I'm going to be hard on Clarissa next time,_ she promised herself.

Wasting no more time, she grabbed the stack of papers she had set down and started down the hall for her work desk. On her way, she walked past a group of girls that were huddled around one of the windows of the large Diplomatic Headquarters, their heads sticking out through the heavy curtains to the Redmont courtyards outside. As she was passing, one of the girls said something that caught her ear and stopped her in her tracks.

"Elizabeth, do you see that? It looks like our young Ranger is back."

Alyss's heart jumped. _Could it be?_

"Well would you look at that," Elizabeth chuckled. "I wonder what he's doing here."

Alyss, now extremely curious, took a step back and moved closer to the window to look through the curtains over the unnoticing girls' shoulders. She strained her neck, trying to catch a glimpse of what the other girls saw, but all her eyes caught was the gray of the cobbled courtyard road. She instead eavesdropped on the conversation the ladies were having, hoping to get a better idea on who they saw.

"He's different from other Ranger's isn't he?" A third girl chimed in. "He isn't as frightening and mysterious." The first girl nodded

"He isn't! I don't think he's a dark wizard like the others."

 _They must not be from this fief_ , was Alyss's first thought. People in Redmont didn't have the same superstitions about Rangers as most did.

"You're right. I think he might be just a normal person like us."

"I wonder what he looks like…"

At this point, Alyss was sure who it was. It was Will. The thought brought a small involuntary smile to her face and a warm feeling in her heart.

It was then that one of girls noticed Alyss standing behind them, and stared at her questioningly. All of them stopped talking and sat uncertainty, shooting her uncomfortable glances. But the tall girl wasn't paying attention to them anymore.

For her eyes were focused past them, across the hallway, where a hooded figure just turned the corner and was walking towards them.

The Courier watched as the person - obviously a Ranger - lifted his head and stopped suddenly when he saw her. He brought his hands up to flip the deep cowl off his head, revealing his pleasant smiling face and brown hair, and she could not hold back the wide grin that spread on her face.

She dropped her papers to the floor, not bothering to make sure they didn't scatter everywhere, and scrambled towards him. She tried not to run, but when he moved towards her with his arms out, she sprinted to meet him.

They collided into each other, embracing tightly. Alyss closed her eyes, pressing her face into his shoulder and felt his arms tighten around her and his lips press into her hair.

The smell of him - coffee and pine - was enough to make her overjoyed.

"You're here," she mumbled into the rough material of his cloak. "You came." She lifted her head and grinned at him, bringing her hands to his face. He smiled brightly back her.

"I came to see you."

"You came to Redmont just to see me?" Will laughed and kissed her cheek.

"Of course. Why else?" He kissed her once more. "I missed you."

She smiled, delighted, and snaking her arms back around him. Will buried his face in her shoulder, rubbing her back and whispering sweet words in her ear.

The girls that sat by the window, were staring with their mouths hanging open. It was the strangest scene they had ever seen. A Ranger publicly showing affection to a woman was something they could never imagined. Laughing...smiling...their jaws dropped lower.

It came to an end when, in the middle of their embrace, Will glanced up past Alyss's shoulder and gave the girls a sharp look. It was brief, but enough for all three of them to scramble to their feet and exit the hallway, leaving it empty to the happy couple.

"I missed you too," Alyss said, placing her hands on his chest. They had moved to the side, away from the middle of the hallway, and Will's back was against the wall. "But I had no idea you were coming. It would have been nice if you sent a letter ahead of time."

He frowned at that. "But I did," he replied slowly. "I sent one last week. Did you not receive it?"

Alyss was shaking her head, remembering something as he spoke. "I must have skipped over it by accident." She shot him a regretful glance. "I've been so busy at work, I haven't had time to go through all of my personal mail."

Will brought his hand up to stroke her cheek gently with his thumb, noticing her expression. He bit the inside of his lip as he felt a sinking feeling in his stomach.

"I've come at a bad time, haven't I?"

"No, not at all," she said, quickly.

 _Too quickly._

He sighed, hanging his head. "I'm sorry. I should have waited for your response before I came rushing over." She was already shaking her head.

"Don't worry. Really not that busy, I just–"

"Lady Alyss?" They both swung their heads to see who had interrupted. She was a young girl, standing in one the doorways of the Diplomat offices. She bowed her head and shuffled her feet when they eyes her. "Umm...I'm sorry to interrupt but, just wanted to remind you...Y-Your meeting is in five minutes."

Will's bottom lip jutted out slightly, disappointed. He glanced back at Alyss and almost laughed at her exasperated expression. She was clutching the flaps of his cloak tightly, and he could tell that she was trying her best not to scream. It took her a few seconds to compose herself, then she turned and smiled at the girl.

"Thank you Clarissa," she said, her voice laced with honey. "I will be there in five minutes." But the girl frowned.

"O-okay, but...are you sure you don't want to come inside now? You are conducting the meeting today, remember. _You don't wanna leave your preparations until the last minute_." She swallowed when Alyss threw her a dagger glare, and she added meekly "...My Lady."

"Of course," Alyss bit out through clenched teeth.

"You should go," Will said, when Clarissa scurried away. He cupped her face and stroking her cheek. "I don't want to keep you from your important meeting."

Alyss closed her eyes and let out the frustrated groan she held in. Instead of walking away, she hugged him tighter, burying her face in his shoulder. He heard her mutter under her breath, "But I don't want to." He smiled again.

"I'll be here when you come back." She pulled back and raised her eyebrow at him.

"It's a long meeting, Will. It could take all day." He shrugged, unconcerned.

"I can wait," He slipped out of her arms and moved to sit on the sill of the massive castle windows. "I'll be sitting in this exact spot when you come back."

He smiled up at her, showing her his sincerity. She was still unconvinced, and she eyes him with her arms crossed. "Are you sure? Did you even eat anything today?"

He laughed, taking her hand and pulling her to him. He wrapped his arms around her slim middle and squeezed playfully. She wrapped her own arms around his head, slipping her fingers into his hair. "Just go," his voice was muffled in her embrace.

"Fine," she pulled away with a huff.

Will grinned, then stooped down and collected the stack of papers that she dropped. "Don't forget these."

She snatched them and held them to her chest. "I wasn't about to." She started walking towards the doorway, but before closing the doors she turned back to him, and smiled. "You better be there." He gave her a military salute, and she shut the door.

* * *

Like she always did, Alyss conducted the meeting perfectly. Even with the distraction of knowing who was waiting behind outside, she didn't rush or skip over anything. Three hours later, when the meeting was finally dismissed, she was the first one out of the meeting room. She rushed for the hallways to where she last saw him, carrying a guilty feeling in her stomach for taking so long.

She wondered if he actually kept his promise, and was sitting there on the window sill. She doubted it. But then she turned that corner and stopped, not believing her eyes.

There he was, sitting in the exact spot she left him, with a glittering smile on his face. "You're done already? That was quick."

* * *

 **Yea I know this chapter aint that great. Im really sorry**


	13. Under The Rain

**A little Halt and Will, father/son moment. Halt is #1 most overprotective father iv'e ever seen jeezus.**

* * *

 **030: Under The Rain**

Halt looked up at the sky for the seventh time that hour. He was closely watching the activity of the clouds, and he wasn't happy with what he saw. Nimbus clouds: dark, heavy, and looming were moving fast and filling the whole sky. Halt estimated they had mere minutes before the rain started to fall.

He brought his eyes back to the ground and gave a silent sigh. He had miscalculated and now his apprentice and himself would pay the price. Usually rain wasn't a big deal; Araluen saw more rainy days than not and Ranger's were almost _comfortable_ traveling in that weather. But that day was different because−

 _*Cough cough*_

Halt swung his head around to look at Will riding behind him. The youth was huddled in his cloak, his face was hidden in the shadows of his cowl but the grizzled man could see from his slumped shoulders that his apprentice was not feeling well.

"That cough sounds worse Will," he said, trying to keep his voice neutral. He didn't want to sound patronizing.

"It not," Will kept his voice low and his head down. "I'm fine." He coughed again. Halt raised his eyebrow.

"When the rain comes you'll be taking back your words, that's certain."

"It's not gonna rai-"

There was _CRACK_ of thunder and the cold rain started pouring down.

Will flinched and slowly raised his to face his master. Halt gave him a look that said, _I told you so._ Will shrugged.

"A little rain is fine," he said unconcerned. " It doesn't bothe − _CoUGH COUGH"_

Halt's eyes narrowed and he shook his head. _Will was being too prideful,_ he thought.

"This event is not important, Will. Lets turn back and go home." He saw Will's eyes widen and noticed the apprehension on his face.

"No, Halt, please. I told you, I'm fine!"

"You lied to me, is what you did," Halt urged Abelard to turn around and go back beside Will and Tug. "You've been coughing all day, boy. This rain is gonna make you sick." He reached up to slick the wet hair out of his face. "We haven't even gotten halfway there so we might as well turn back. Let's go. Now."

Will gritted his teeth, stifling a frustrated groan. He opened his mouth to argue but another coughing fit took over him, ruining his smart retort. Halt was already riding back down the path they had just came. Will swung his horse back around and started following him. He tried one more time.

"But Halt, I'm telli-"

"NOW!"

"Coming," he replied meekly. _Cough cough_

* * *

Weak. i know


End file.
